Knockdown container joint structure



Sept. 25, 1962 w. M. CAMERON ET AL 3,055,529

KNOCKDOWN CONTAINER JOINT STRUCTURE Filed- Sept. 16, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i i l INVENTORS WILLIAM M. CAMERON rsooone c. ZINNQER Sept. 25, 1962 w. M. CAMERON ET AL 3,055,529

xNocxnowN CONTAINER JOINT STRUCTURE Filed Sept.,l6, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 M 8 l a '55 E: WILLIAM M. CAMERON THEODORE C. ZINNIGER INVENT' ORS Uited States This invention relates to containers. More particularly, it is concerned with providing a novel joint structure for the mating sections of a knockdown container.

Accordingly, it is a primary purpose of the instant invention to provide a unique joint structure for the mating sections of a knockdown container whereby these mating sections can be readily assembled and maintained in eflicient, supporting and locked, leakproof relationship to each other during the normal handling and use of the container.

Other purposes and advantages of the instant invention will be more fully understood from a review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the assembled container of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary and broken sectional view of the various hollow container sections used in making up the container shown in FIG. 1 and discloses the manner in which these sections may be nested one within the other when the container is disassembled;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the assembled container of FIG. 1 when taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 with parts removed and discloses the joint structure between the assembled hollow container sections when a resilient gasket member is employed; and

FIG. 5 is a front elevational View of a conventional bolt used to secure a hoop or band about the beads of the hollow container sections for the purpose of drawing them together and securing the container sections tightly to each other.

With further reference to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, it will be observed that the instant invention is particularly concerned with the joint structure A between two opposed hollow container sections 1 and 2 of an assembled container 3, hollow container section 1 constituting the bottom half of the assembled container 3 and hollow container section 2 constituting the upper or top half of the container 3. These container sections can be advantageously made of metal such as aluminum and are held in assembled relationship by means of a hoop assembly 4. The assembly container body may be used to transport various products in either liquid or granular form, etc. Although it can be of different sizes, the preferred embodiment of the invention contemplates that the assembled container 3 would be or relatively large size whereby it can carry several hundred gallons of a liquid, etc. Because of the size of these containers the joint structure between the assembled hollow container sections 1 and 2 is important, particularly when it is recognized that these containers are subject to a great deal of abuse during handling.

With further reference to the drawings, it will be observed that the hollow container sections 1 and 2 are so constructed that they can be advantageously nested one within the other such as the top container section 2 within the bottom container section 1 when the conainer 3 is knocked down and is being returned to the point of original shipment for refilling, storage, etc. The bottom containersection 1 is generally comprised of a side wall 5 which can be tapered to facilitate nesting and which can terminate at the bottom in a reinforcing rim 6. The free atent edge of rim 6 is bent or ciimped back upon itself to form a lip 7. A similarly shaped lip 8 of a bottom closure member 9 is inserted in the opening 10 between lip 7 and the bottom 11 of the rim 6. If desired, the lip 8 of bottom closure member 9 can be welded to lip 7 in a manner conventional in the art. The side wall 5 terminates at the open top portion 12 thereof in an outwardly rolled bead 13. This bead is formed in a unique manner, as will be subsequently described, so as to provide a strong supportting surface for the upper hollow container section 2 which is disposed thereon during the time that the hollow container sections 1 and 2 are assembled one on top of the other to form the completed body or container 3.

Hollow container section 1 is generally fabricated in a fashion similar to the lower container section 2. Thus, the upper container section 2 is generally provided with a side wall 5, a lower rim 6' which terminates at the free end thereof in a lip 7. Disposed between the lip 7' and the bottom 11' of rim 6 in the opening 10' therebetween is the lip 8 of a bottom closure member 9.

The open end 12' of the upper or top container section 2 is provided with an outwardly rolled bead 13 for-med integrally with the wall 5' in a manner similar to the bottom hollow container section 1.

In connection with the beads 13 and 13 for the lower and upper hollow container sections 1 and 2, respectively, these outwardly rolled beads are formed in a unique fashion to provide a strong supporting structure for the container sections 1 and 2. These are also the parts of the assembled container sections which are in direct contact with each other when the container sections are assembled together to form the completed container 3 shown in FIG. 1. Since the fabrication of both beads 13 and 13 is substantially identical, 2. description of the fabrication of the head 13 for the lower container section 1 will suflice for both. For simplicity, prime reference numerals are used in the drawings for the bead elements of hollow container section 2 which correspond to those of hollow container section 1.

The bead 13 is rolled or fabricated in such a way from the upper terminal portion of the side wall 5 of hollow container section 1 whereby the bead is provided with a relatively flat upper supporting flange or bead wall 20. The upper bead wall 20 merges with an outer bead wall 21. Wall 21 projects downwardly and is disposed in a substantially vertical plane and this outer bead wall 21 is further connected to a slightly inclined bottom bead wall 22. Bottom bead wall 22 is connected to an upwardly directed inner bead Wall 23 arranged in parallel and contacting relationship to side wall 5. The terminal edge or lip 25 of inner bead wall 23 is brought into supporting surface-to-surface contact with the under surface 26 of the flat upper bead wall 20 of the bead 13. It is to be observed by reference particu larly to FIGS. 2 and 3 during the roll forming or bead fabricating operation that the thickness of the upper bead wall 20 which is the main supporting or supported surface, as the case may be, for a hollow container section is purposely increased over that of the side wall 5 from which it is made whereby bead wall 20 will be between one and one and one-half times as thick as the side wall 5. In the case of outer bead wall 21, this bead wall acts as a supporting column and is purposely increased in thickness during fabrication whereby it will be approximately twice the thickness of the side wall 5. For example, if the side wall 5 of a hollow container section is made of 0.09 gauge metal, outer bead wall 21 will be of approximately 0.18 of an inch in thickness.

- The wall thickness of bottom bead wall 22 is also purposely increased during fabrication whereby its thickness will be between one and one and one-half times the thickness of side wall 5. In the case of the inner bead wall 23, this bead wall is not purposely thickened in cross section during fabrication and thus will approximate, in the example given above, the original thickness of the side wall or 0.09 of an inch in thickness.

The bead structure that is formed in the manner proposed has the following unique advantages. First of all, it provides in the case of the inner bead wall 23, when it is disposed in parallel contacting relationship with side wall 5, a rigid supporting column B which has a double thickness of metal. In the case of the outer bead wall 21 which also acts as a principal supporting column C, a second supporting column of double thickness is also provided. Thus, when complementary container sections 1 and 2 having beads formed in the fashion proposed are mounted one upon the other in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the likelihood of collapse of the beads 13 and 13 of either container section is for all practical purposes eliminated because maximum strength has been imparted to the heads at the very points where the greatest weight is to be carried by the container sections in the assembled container body 3.

As indicated particularly in FIG. 3, the preferred assembly of these container sections is such that there is vertical alignment between the outer bead walls 21 and 21 and the inner bead walls 23 and 23 and the side walls 5 and 5'. This arrangement further provides for an extremely elficient joint structure.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the upper bead flanges and 20' are provided with flat outer surfaces 27 and 27'. Thus, when the container sections 1 and 2 are assembled, the beads 13 and 13' of the respective container sections 1 and 2 will always remain in contact with one another. If for any reason container section 1 or 2 or both have been somewhat distorted so that they are out of round--that is, they do not have the identical configuration that was originally given to them during fabricationthe beads may still slide somewhat with respect to one another and still remain in contact with each other. If there is a gap in either of the beads due to this deformation, the beads will still remain in sealing engagement one with the other. If for any reason a bead 13 or 13 has been somewhat nicked or dented, in a manner that would normally, with a round beady, create a passage through the contact between the container halves, creating a leak, the possibility of this happening with the flat outer surfaces 27 and 27 is practically eliminated. These features are particularly important in the case of the instant container because it is subject to rough handling and abuse during use. In the case of prior art containers where circular beads were employed without the flat surface, once a dent occurred so that one of the beads was out of round or pushed in, a gap would exist in the joint which made the container practically useless unless the dent was hammered out. Even in those instances where corrective measures were taken, it was not always possible to obtain the original configuration given to the container section during fabrication.

After the container sections have been assembled one upon the other such as container section 2 upon container section 1 and the joint formed therebetween as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4, a conventional collar or hoop 30 is then disposed about both beads in the manner disclosed in FIG. 3. Hoop 30 is usually made in the form of a split ring that is somewhat channel shaped in cross section. Apertured ears 32 are welded or otherwise affixed to the side walls of the channel shape hoop 30. When bolts 33 provided with oppositely threaded ends 34 and 35 are inserted in the threaded apertures of ears 32 and the intermediate nutlike portion 36 rotated, the ends of the hoop will be drawn tightly together. This will cause a locking of the beads 13 and 13' along with the hollow container sections 1 and 2. It is also contemplated, as indicated in FIG. 4, that in some instances it will be desirable to use a gasket 40 of resilient 4 plastic. rubber or rubber-like material in between the beaded elements 13 and 13' whereby as the bolts 33 are tightened a complete airtight seal will be effected between the container sections 1 and 2.

As indicated in FIG. 1, it is further contemplated that the bottom container section 1 can be provided with conventional legs 45 and a suitable discharge valve 46.

Handles 47 can be affixed to each container section 1 and 2 to facilitate handling of the assembled container 3, as well as the individual sections 1 and 2 themselves.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention has been herein disclosed and described. It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims wherein What is claimed is:

1. In a joint structure for complementary hollow container sections which when assembled and secured together adjacent their open ends form a closed container body, each of said sections being provided with a closed bottom, a side wall and an open top, the combination of mating complementary closed beads at the open ends of each container section disposed in abutting relationship and formed integrally from the side walls of their respective container sections, at least one of said beads being formed in such a fashion as to be provided with a relatively fiat upper bead wall, a downwardly directed outer bead wall, a bottom bead wall and an upwardly directed inner bead wall disposed in parallel and contacting relationship to the side wall of the container section with which it is associated, said upper and bottom bead walls being of greater thickness than and said outer bead wall being approximately twice as thick in cross-section as the side wall of the container section from which they are formed, said inner bead wall terminating in a free edge which supportingly contacts the upper bead wall, said inner bead wall combining with the side wall of the container section with which it is associated to form a full support column of double thickness for the upper bead wall, the assembly of said container sections also being such that the upper bead walls of the beads of each container section are in sliding surface to surface contact with each other and hoop means surrounding the beads of both container sections for drawing and locking said beads and the container sections together.

2. A joint structure as set forth in claim 1 above wherein the beads of both container sections are each formed in such a fashion as to be provided with a relatively fiat upper bead wall, an outer bead wall, a bottom bead wall and an inner bead wall, the latter of which is disposed in parallel and contacting relationship to the side walls of the container sections with which they are associated, said upper and bottom bead walls being of greater thickness than and said outer bead wall being approximately twice as thick as the sidewall of the container sections with which they are associated.

3. In a joint structure as set forth in claim 2, resilient gasket means disposed intermediate the flat upper bead walls of the beads of the complementary container sections.

4. In a joint structure for a sectionalized container body made up of body sections which can be nested when the container body is disassembled, the combination of a pair of complementary hollow container body sections, each of said container body sections comprising a side wall which is closed at one end and open at the other end, each of said side walls terminating at the open ends thereof in a closed head formed integrally with the side walls, each head being formed in such a fashion from the side wall with which it is associated so as to be provided with a relatively flat upper bead wall, a downwardly inclined out bead wall, a bottom bead wall and an upwardly directed inner bead wall disposed in parallel and contacting relationship to its associated side wall,

said upper and bottom beads Walls being of greater thickness than and said outer bead wall being of substantially twice the thickness as the side Wall of the hollow container body section with which they are associated, said inner bead wall terminating in a free edge which sup portingly contacts the upper bead wall and constitutes a relatively stiff full column support for the upper bead wall, the assembly of said complementary hollow container body sections being such that the upper bead wall of the bead on one hollow container body section is in slid ing contact with the corresponding bead wall on the other hollow container body section and hoop means surrounding the beads on the container body sections and locking said beads and said container body sections together.

5. In a joint structure as set forth in claim 4, a resilient gasket member interposed between the flat upper bead walls of the beads of the complementary container body sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,256,933 Schriner Feb. 19, 1918 1,863,122 Matthews June 14, 1932 2,277,824 Franson Mar. 31, 1942 2,582,072 Schwinn Jan. 8, 1952 2,665,663 Rawson Ian. 12, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 839,997 Germany May 26, 1952 950,630 Germany Oct. 11, 1956 

